Elk hunting setup?

gotta agree with that choice for Alberta Elk hunting.

If you want to save a few hundred - maybe a Zastava in 300 win. or a good used 300 win from EE for $600 or so.
 
Hard to beat one of the .300 mags for all-aournd elk hunting. .300 win mag used to be my preferred tool in a Remmy 700. Drove tacks with that thing. The .338 win mag is also a historical favorite. I agree that a Zastava would give you a quality rifle and save a few hundred bucks that you could put toward top optics and ammo.

My personal preferrence is a .338 Ultra manle-um in a Remmy model 700 LSS. Unfortuneately, unless you handload ...
 
Elk

For a dedicated elk rifle I'd go .300 mag and .338WM. Lesser will do, but those are my suggestions. I really like the new Winchester model 70's especially Super-Grade. Ruger 77 Hawkeye .338 looks like a good deal for the money.
Geoff
 
300 Win mag should work for anything. Try a few guns on for size. Winchester and Ruger or maybe a Vanguard. A Leupold or Zeiss 3-9 is affordable and will do it for all shots too. All my elk have been 50 yards or so in the trees. Big long range setup with the scope on 3, wishing I had a peep sight instead.:D
 
Winchester and Leupold are just what sprang to mind, any quality rifle and scope combo is good, good rings are important too.
 
A T3 in 7mm RM with a S&B 3-12x42 Klassic or Leupold VX-6 2-12x42 would be a nice setup. The S&B setup might take you a tad over $2000, but it would be a very slick setup if you don't want/need the CDS style turret.

What kind of rifles do you own or shoot with now? Do you reload? I have nothing against the .300 WM or the .338 WM - in fact I like them - but they are getting up there in the recoil department.
 
If buying new I would take a 7mm RM or a .300 WM in a Ruger M77 with a Zeiss Conquest in that price range.

If you're looking for something different a Ruger No. 1 in a caliber of your choosing with a Conquest may be a good option.
 
Marlin XL7 in 30-06 + Redfield Revolution in 4-12X40 + Leopold base, rings....All under $800.

Use the balance and treat the wife (or Mistress :D) to a nice weekend trip or something.
 
scott_r said:
I buy a Weatherby Vanguard 2 in 300 mag/ 300 wsm and a Zeiss Conquest 3.5-10x44. Way more value in the Conquest line then the overpriced Leupold VX stuff.
Click to expand...

This is true if you are talking about the VX-2 and VX-3, but the VX-6 is on a different level. If he has a $2000 budget he should buy the best glass possible within his limits. IMO, while the Conquest is very good bang for the $, it certainly is not the best within his price range.

But you are right on the Vanguard 2 - they look fantastic and can be had for $500.

Rifle - $500
S&B Klassic - $1450

Mounts and tax will bring you over the $2000, but not by much. With a VX-6 you will come in quite a bit under budget.
 
If it was me I'd be looking for a midweight sporter 7mm like I would be for a Moose hunt. Like a Model 700 Mountain SS in .280, or XCR II in .280 or 7mm RM. Model 70 Extreme Weather SS 7mm WSM.

Top it with Talleys and a VXII 3-9X40 or VX3 3.5-10X40 and be done.
 
My main elk rig is a Browning X-bolt Composite Stalker 300WSM wearing a Leupold VXIII 3.5-10x40. It shoots handloaded 180gr Accubonds consistently into 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards, and more importantly it has killed elk.

Anything similar will do fine. A good reliable rifle with a good reliable scope shooting a good reliable bullet into good reliable groups.
 
i'm not so enamoured of the 300 mags in any flavor- the 338 moves a little slower but puts MORE lead downrange with roughly the same mpbr-the 300s ( any of them) are just 308s with more SPEED - same bullets- and about another 50 yards mpbr- a 338 with 250 grainers( i've got some 275's that are ages old but brother, do they ever work) PREMIUM bullets like a barnes would be about ideal- and DON'T take shots over 300
 
the big questions ...what do you shoot now ..and what is the country your hunting elk in ......open, bush ,both ,and do you mind the recoil of a biggger rifle

I shoot from 25 yards to 150-175 same as moose ...i was using my 30-06/ 180g nossler partitions / Zeiss same as for moose but found that my first 2 elk seemed allot harder to knock down ........(just me )

...now i am using 338 win mag/225g nosler partitions / Zeiss 3-9x40 works great even close in ....for as much as i shoot at elk i dont mind the recoil jump and thats 4 elk down now under 45 yards
 
I'm shooting a browning BLR in 270wsm topped with a vx-3 , I reload with 130gr saber tooth and I'm hunting on fields for elk. This was my moose gun that I'm planning on letting go and getting a bolt action for long range shooting.
 
Buy a Kimber 84L in .270, 280AI or 30-06. Top it with a Conquest or VXIII in Talley LW's and go hunting. Those things get packed a while lot more than shot!
Use a good bullet and shoot them in the front half until they hit the ground. Bang flops on elk rarely happen with any cartridge unless the CNS is broken.
 
I use a Browning X-Bolt Stalker in 325 WSM, with 200 grain bullets it outperforms the 338 with the same 200 grain slug... rifle is very accurate, very nice trigger, weather resistant, light enough to pack anywhere you desire, and to me it just feels nice to handle.

Price is right, leaves room for good glass that others have suggested. I myself have an FX2 6x36 mounted via Talleys. Solid, bulletproof, and pretty much idiotproof. I have enough confidence in that scope to use it as a carry handle, and the usual bumps and scrapes will not change your POI.
 
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